Whole Child Development
Numbers can be a pretty abstract concept for a preschooler to wrap her mind around. But just as a storybook turns abstract letters into a meaningful story, the abstract concepts of numeracy, patterning, and comparison find real meaning in the objects they represent. Putting these real objects into the small hands of young children makes the abstract concrete as we connect these math terms and concepts with experiences and understandings they’ve been building over a lifetime.
Numbers can be a pretty abstract concept for a preschooler to wrap her mind around. But just as a storybook turns abstract letters into a meaningful story, the abstract concepts of numeracy, patterning, and comparison find real meaning in the objects they represent. Putting these real objects into the small hands of young children makes the abstract concrete as we connect these math terms and concepts with experiences and understandings they’ve been building over a lifetime.
While I’m working on some exciting new things, here’s a revisit to an old post originally posted February 25, 2009!
If you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive, no-sew way to create capes for your super-preschooler, look no further! No super powers are required here, just fabric, self-adhesive Velcro tabs, and scissors!
Last year I wrote about mapping out your year with an enduring idea and unit themes. This year, I thought I’d help you out (and myself) by creating a Thematic Brainstorm Form to help you with the steps in the planning process. This isn’t your lesson plan, this is merely to get the ideas going. [Read more…]
Anyone who knows me well, knows I am no stranger to Home Depot. Having married a man with a penchant for home remodeling, I have learned to navigate the aisles well, in search of the right size of screws, the critically needed electrical wire, or the aesthetically pleasing cabinet pull. Almost without fail, I see something at “the Depot” that appeals to the preschool teacher in me (or maybe it’s the preschooler in me).
I recently had a teacher ask about art projects for the very young, particularly young two’s. She was especially concerned with the safety factor, as the little ones have a tendency to try to eat what they’re working with. I have a long list of suggestions for her, but I’ll share just one with you now!
If you’re looking for something new to put in your sensory table, consider cornmeal! Some types are more fine than others – the fine stuff can leave a bit of a dusty residue on those little hands, but no permanent harm done, right? Whether you have coarse or fine cornmeal, the kiddos just love it! Compliment the play with toy cars, scoops in a variety of sizes, and even combs to create a fun texture! Around Valentine’s Day, I threw in some foam hearts and the children kept themselves engaged burying and digging up their “treasures”! You could add any foam features, plastic figures, or some beads or rocks.
I picked up a great deal while visiting my parents a while back. Their local newspaper sells the remnant rolls of newsprint, in a variety of sizes, for next to nothing. I think I spent $3 on a roll that just happened to be the perfect length for my easel, with enough paper on it to last me a year at least! Newsprint is certainly lower grade quality than your typical art paper. It tends to yellow a little over a long period of time, so it’s not what you would want to use for framed artwork. It is great, however, for high volume projects; those times that kiddos just want to experiment over and over (pretty much all the time). It’s also great for covering tables for large group collages and murals, or just for protecting the table. Really, for three bucks, you could use it for just about anything, and you still get your money’s worth! Check out your local newspaper to find out if they sell their remnant rolls of newsprint. Additionally (in case you wonderful people need more reasons to feel good about yourselves) using this newsprint is a great way to recycle a spent resource while also conserving new resources. So you can be green and save green all at the same time! Can’t really beat that, can you?
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